The present disclosure relates generally to antimicrobial glass articles. More particularly, the various embodiments described herein relate to glass articles having antimicrobial behavior, such that the glass articles exhibit reduced discoloration when exposed to harsh conditions (e.g., elevated temperatures, humidity, oxidizing environments, reducing environments, and/or the like) while maintaining antimicrobial efficacy, as well as to methods of making, using and cleaning of the glass articles.
Touch-activated or -interactive devices, such as screen surfaces (e.g., surfaces of electronic devices having user-interactive capabilities that are activated by touching specific portions of the surfaces), have become increasingly more prevalent. In general, these surfaces should exhibit high optical transmission, low haze, and high durability, among other features. As the extent to which the touch screen-based interactions between a user and a device increases, so too does the likelihood of the surface harboring microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi, viruses, and the like) that can be transferred from user to user.
To minimize the presence of microbes on glass, so-called “antimicrobial” properties have been imparted to a variety of glass articles. Such antimicrobial glass articles, regardless of whether they are used as screen surfaces of touch-activated devices or in other applications, have a propensity to discolor for various reasons. For example, one reason includes the presence of silver particles (including nano-silver particles) on the surface of the glass or the presence of reduced silver due to exposure to elevated temperatures, humidity, reactive environments, and/or the like. These harsh conditions can occur during fabrication or processing of the glass articles, or during ordinary use of the articles. In certain cases, this discoloration can render a glass article unsightly. Further, excessive discoloration ultimately can lead to the glass article becoming unsuitable for its intended purpose.
There accordingly remains a need for technologies that provide antimicrobial glass articles with improved resistance against discoloration when exposed to harsh conditions. It would be particularly advantageous if such technologies did not adversely affect other desirable properties of the surfaces (e.g., optical transmission, haze, strength, scratch resistance, and the like). It is to the provision of such technologies that the present disclosure is directed.